D.R. Horton Stock Tests Support Following Earnings Report

Shares of homebuilder D.R. Horton Inc. (NYSE: DHI) are down about 1% in mid-day trading after the company reported its earnings for the first quarter of its 2026 fiscal year. This came despite solid headline numbers. Earnings per share (EPS) of $2.03 on revenue of $6.89 billion beat expectations for EPS of $1.98 on revenue of $6.66 billion.

That said, the sell-off wasn’t completely without merit. On a year-over-year (YOY) basis, revenue was down 9% and EPS was down 22%. Plus, YOY net income was down 30%. All of that was enough to cause investors to sell on a day when the market was already down sharply.

D.R. Horton maintained its full-year guidance. On the surface, that may not be bullish, but revenue and earnings are expected to grow solidly YOY in the back half of this fiscal year.

In the short term, however, the company noted that a 3% rise in net orders was fueled by sales incentives.

With DHI stock up about 8% in 2026 after a sharp December pullback, investors may have been hoping for more than hope. Still, a higher floor may set up a buying opportunity.

Will the Earnings Report Clarify Analyst Sentiment

Heading into the earnings report, analysts had a mixed outlook for DHI stock.

There were bullish ratings, such as Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), which reiterated its Buy rating and $195 price target.

A few notable bearish ratings contributed to mixed sentiment, like from UBS Group (NYSE: UBS), which lowered its price target slightly from $195 to $191, and Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) which lowered its price target to $154 from $163.

Adding to the mix were neutral ratings, like one from Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC), which reiterated its Equal Weight rating and decreased its price target to $155 from $180.

Nothing in the report suggests that analysts will be changing their outlook on the company or the sector anytime soon. That's because of the continued pressure on the housing market. 

The Relativity of Interest Rates

The Federal Reserve started cutting interest rates in late 2025, with the most recent cut coming in December 2025. However, many investors now believe the Federal Reserve will pause rate cuts for several months before making further cuts, keeping financial conditions tighter than equity markets had hoped. 

For stocks in general, lower rates are better because they make borrowing cheaper for businesses. This is especially important for small-cap companies that are not yet profitable and rely on debt to fuel their growth, since their capital structures and valuations are more sensitive to changes in the discount rate. 

For homebuilder stocks like D.R. Horton, the nuance is different. Prospective homebuyers may have to wait to get a more favorable rate on a fixed‑rate mortgage, and D.R. Horton has acknowledged that it still needs elevated incentives and rate buy‑downs to keep sales volumes moving, even as orders and revenues remain solid.

That sounds contradictory to the “tight supply” narrative, but it reflects an affordability gap: supply is constrained, yet demand is highly payment‑sensitive at today’s mortgage rates. Therefore, incentives are being used to bridge that gap rather than to clear unwanted inventory. 

To be clear, mortgage rates are tied more closely to the 10‑year Treasury note than the Fed funds rate. Fixed mortgage rates typically trade a few percentage points above long‑term Treasuries, not in a fixed spread to the policy rate.

While the current rate is not excessive by long‑term historical standards, it is a shock to this generation of first‑time homebuyers who came of age in an era of ultra‑low 30‑year mortgage rates. This magnifies the need for buydowns, discounts, and other incentives to make monthly payments workable. 

But as analysts have also said, the problems with the housing market are on the supply and demand sides. Right now, structurally tight inventory supports pricing power for large builders like D.R. Horton. However, stretched affordability means that demand must be carefully cultivated with incentives and product mix, rather than taken for granted simply because there are not enough homes. 

How to Approach DHI Stock After Earnings

Even after the January rally, DHI stock is still down about 15% after a strong summer run. The price is hovering near the 50‑day simple moving average (SMA), and the pattern of higher lows through late 2025 into early 2026 supports the idea that the stock is trying to find a higher bottom.

However, that will only be the case if the current 50-day SMA holds as support. To that end, investors should note that momentum, as reflected in the MACD, has been stabilizing after a bearish crossover. This hints at a potential shift back toward neutral or even bullish if the signal line turns higher above zero. The recent dip in volume does not appear to indicate that investors are throwing in the towel, but rather that DHI stock is part of the ongoing rotation trade. 

For a post‑earnings trade, the key is whether the price can maintain support around the 50‑day and then reclaim the recent swing highs from late 2025. Aggressive traders might enter near the moving average with a tight stop just below the most recent higher low, while more conservative investors could wait for a decisive close above the recent consolidation range to confirm renewed upside momentum. 

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